Sub-Weapon
Sub-Weapons are throwable weapons present in almost all Castlevania games. Since fighting with melee weapons has been the usual form of attack throughout the series, sub-weapons allow for long range combat, sometimes giving a strategic advantage over enemies. Overview Sub-weapons are generally found by breaking candles, although in some games they can also be dropped by enemies. There are certain enemies who can drop a specific sub-weapon (like the Axe Armor, who in some games drops the Axe), although this is rarely seen in the series. One must be wary in classic titles if a slain enemy drops an unwanted sub-weapon unexpectedly, as it can change the whole player's strategy if picked up by accident. In 2D games, the usual way of performing a sub-weapon attack involves pressing ↑ + ATTACK on the controller. In 3D titles, they are usually bound to a single button. Throwing a sub-weapon generally consumes a determined amount of Hearts, depending on its type. As the series progressed, some titles implemented the consumption of MP instead, rendering acquisition of Hearts for replenishing the player's MP reserves. Five types of sub-weapons were introduced in the original Castlevania: the Dagger, the Axe, the Cross, the Holy Water and the Stopwatch. These became a staple in subsequent games for many years, although some titles didn't include all five of them. A notable example is Castlevania: The Adventure, which didn't include any sub-weapons at all. Its sequel, Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge, only included two sub-weapons, the Axe and the Holy Water (in the Japanese version and in Konami GB Collection Vol. 3 (Vol. 4 in Europe), the Axe was replaced with the Cross). In most titles prior to the release of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, two special items can be obtained which modify the number of sub-weapons thrown on the screen at the same time, the Double and Triple Shots. The first appears after a certain number of enemies have been killed using a sub-weapon (candles can also be broken instead to comply with the required amount). Once enough enemies have been killed, the next drop from an enemy or candle will be a Double Shot item. The same process can then be followed to obtain the Triple Shot. These two items can also be found by destroying certain breakable walls. Variations of the classic sub-weapons, or additional effects to their behavior when thrown, are usually implemented in most recent titles. Since the release of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, sub-weapons gained a new important ability, allowing players to unleash a devastating attack known as an Item Crash once the sufficient amount of Hearts have been collected. As the series progressed, new and more diverse sub-weapons were added to the protagonists' arsenal. Sometimes even their main essence has been changed in some games, in which instead of being a physical item (like an actual axe or a dagger), they can be entities summoned by magical arts instead (Harmony of Dissonance) or projections of a creature's soul (Aria of Sorrow). In games where multiple characters can be selected, it has become a common feature that each one has their own unique set of sub-weaponry. Game specific information ''Castlevania The first game in the series introduced the overall sub-weapon gameplay mechanic. The five sub-weapons present in this title (Dagger, Axe, Cross, Holy Water and Stopwatch) became a staple in the series for many years and most of the times they have reappeared in recent titles in one way or another. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Some sub-weapons from the first game also made an appearance in ''Simon's Quest, along with many new ones (such as the Sacred Flame or the Diamond). Their usage remained basically the same, by pressing ↑ + ATTACK to use them while consuming a determined amount of Hearts. Once collected, a sub-weapon will remain in the player's inventory for the rest of the game, allowing them to choose the most adequate sub-weapon for each given situation and making it more of an issue to actually find them throughout Simon's journey. The Holy Water in this game does not consume any Hearts at all and inflicts only minimum damage, rendering it mostly to dissolve certain walls and have access to secret areas or items. Some other sub-weapons, like Laurels or Garlic, have a limited use depending on the amount the player is carrying. These can be replenished by buying more in towns or, in the case of Laurels, by finding a Gypsy who bestows Simon with a full supply free of charge. ''Haunted Castle Basically, the same sub-weapons from the original ''Castlevania are also present in Haunted Castle. However, some of them behave differently or attack similarly to other sub-weapons from past titles: *'Cross' - A holy beam radiates forward, like a slower but more powerful version of the Dagger. *'Torch' - A lit torch is tossed downward in an arcing pattern, creating a trail of flames when it touches the ground, making it very similar to the Holy Water. *'Boomerang' - The Boomerang behaves like the Cross from older games, although this time it doesn't come back. *'Dynamite' - A bomb is thrown far in an arcing pattern and explodes when it touches the ground, behaving like a mixture between an Axe and Holy Water. *'Timer' - Freezes enemies for a certain period of time. ''Castlevania: The Adventure ''The Adventure is notable in the series for not including sub-weapons of any kind. Instead, Christopher must rely on finding Crystals to power up his whip and perform ranged attacks. ''Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse ''Dracula's Curse introduced the ability to recruit and play as different characters besides the main protagonist. Each one of them has their own specific set of sub-weapons. While Grant and Alucard both can have access to some of Trevor's sub-weaponry (Axe, Stopwatch, etc.), the most prominent character in this matter is Sypha Belnades, who finds magic books where others would find normal sub-weapons, making her the only character in the game who has her own specific set. ''Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge Only two sub-weapons are included in ''Belmont's Revenge, the Axe and the Holy Water. However, in the Japanese version and in Konami GB Collection Vol. 3 (Vol. 4 in Europe), the Cross, for better or for worse, replaced the Axe. ''Super Castlevania IV In ''Super Castlevania IV, usage of sub-weaponry is bound to a single button on the controller, resulting in a more dynamic gameplay overall and the ability to attack while crouching, allowing the player to attack while at the bottom of a staircase or while traversing one. This mechanic also allows Simon to attack while swinging when he latches his whip onto a ring. This was also the first game in the series which allowed controller customization, letting players bind sub-weapons to their preferred button. ''Castlevania Legends :''Main articles: Soul Weapon and Collected Item In Castlevania Legends, Sonia Belmont, the protagonist of the game, uses special powers particular to her called Soul Weapons, instead of the usual sub-weapons seen in other games. For most purposes, these function almost the same as normal sub-weaponry, and as such they also consume Hearts when activated, although their use is more limited as each one can only be obtained after defeating an area boss. Once collected, they are stored and can be selected from a Soul Weapon sub-screen. Normal Sub-Weapons can be found in this game as well, this time called Collected Items, although, as their name implies, they are only collectibles and cannot be used offensively in any way; they just determine the game's ending the more of them are found. ''Castlevania Chronicles The same classic arsenal from past games is also present in ''Chronicles, but with the addition of a unique "sub-weapon": the Herb. When picked up, this item will occupy the slot reserved for sub-weapons and will restore about half of the player's maximum HP amount for 10 Hearts when activated. ''Castlevania: Rondo of Blood Perhaps ''Rondo of Blood introduced the biggest changes regarding to sub-weaponry in the entire series. If a player is already carrying a sub-weapon and picks up another one, the first one will drop behind them, allowing to retrieve it if desired. As in Dracula's Curse, this game allows playing as different characters: Richter Belmont or Maria Renard, each with their own unique sub-weaponry set. It is worth mentioning that Maria uses four living creatures as sub-weapons, inspired by the four mythological Chinese symbols: Cardinal, Cat, Turtle and Dragon. In addition, the Key (which had previously only appeared in Vampire Killer) also appears as a sub-weapon this time. Even though it cannot be thrown and its reach is greatly reduced, it can still be used as a melee weapon. Its main use, however, is to allow the player to unlock certain doors found in some levels, thus gaining access to hidden areas which sometimes lead to rescuing one of the game's kidnapped villagers. The most notable addition to sub-weaponry behavior in this game is the ability to perform Item Crashes with them, allowing players to unleash devastating attacks which generally damage all enemies onscreen at the cost of a large amount of Hearts. These kinds of attacks also became a staple in future games, appearing in one way or another throughout the series. While Richter is usually granted with a special attack related to the kind of sub-weapon he is holding, Maria actually calls forth creatures in order to attack foes, introducing the concept of creature summoning, which also became a staple in future titles, and also the concept of familiars to some extent. Rondo of Blood also dismissed the necessity of finding the Double and Triple Shot power-up icons, and instead replaced the method of obtaining the ability of throwing more than one sub-weapon at a time in regard to the amount of Hearts the player is currently carrying. ''Castlevania: Circle of the Moon In ''Circle of the Moon, the sub-weapons of the first game are brought back. Furthermore, their power is affected by the Dual Set-Up System (DSS), especially by combining Pluto with either Serpent, Golem or Manticore cards. Combining Pluto with Manticore allows Nathan to use MP instead of Hearts. Each Heart is replaced by 5 MP. Combining Pluto with Golem allows Nathan and his copy to throw the same sub-weapon together, while Pluto + Serpent allows Nathan to throw two sub-weapons at once. It is worth noting that sub-weapons can only damage an enemy once every half a second. As a result, throwing two sub-weapons using both combinations against one enemy is almost meaningless. Combining Pluto with Salamander allows Nathan to perform Item Crashes, depending on the sub-weapon he is holding. Both Shooter and Magician Modes have advantages in utilizing sub-weapons. While Shooter Mode allows Nathan to use most sub-weaponry with more power and less cost, Magician Mode allows Nathan to use all DSS combinations early in the game, giving him the ability to either throw two sub-weapons at once, throw sub-weapons without using Hearts, or perform Item Crashes much earlier than in other modes. ''Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance A new sub-weapon, the Sacred Fist, was introduced in this game (although it has not made a reappearance in any other game since), with the other sub-weapons being the Dagger, Axe, Cross, Holy Water and Holy Book, for a total of six sub-weapons available to the player. Sub-weapons take a very special significance in ''Harmony of Dissonance, as this time they can be fused with diverse elemental Spell Books that can be found throughout the course of the game. As such, each Spell Book will cast a totally different spell with each sub-weapon currently equipped, for a total of 31 different spells available in the game (the extra spell is cast by using the Summoning Tome with no sub-weapons equipped). ''Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Leon Belmont can also use sub-weapons but is limited to carry only one type at a time. Also, the sub-weapons in this game are obtained in some specific areas of the map, particularly by destroying candles with a yellow flame. The type of sub-weapon dropped by the specific candle is fixed and highlighted on the map. If Leon is already carrying the specific sub-weapon, a Big Heart will drop instead. Furthermore, each sub-weapon in this game is also considered to be a type of "element", along with the rest of real elements such as Fire, Ice or Thunder. This means that certain enemies and bosses are more susceptible or more resilient to damage dealt by a specific type of sub-weapon (e.g.: Medusa is weak to Axe and Golem is strong against Dagger). Various Orbs found in the game also allow the player to augment Leon's abilities when using a sub-weapon by mainly adding an elemental attribute to it or by changing its way of attacking. Take note that using the Orb effects will consume more Hearts. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness 's sub-weaponry. ]] In Trevor Mode, Trevor Belmont also uses sub-weapons (the attacks of which are based in ''Castlevania: Lament of Innocence). But unlike Leon, Trevor already has access to all sub-weapons from the beginning, and the player can cycle through them in order to choose the best one for each given situation. This game also features an Item Crash ability for each sub-weapon, consuming more Hearts while enhancing the damage output. ''Castlevania: Order of Shadows *Cross: A holy cross that returns to Desmond when thrown. *Crissaegrim: One of the rarest and most powerful weapons, the Crissaegrim can strike a target multiple times. *Demon Sword: Cursed by a dark priest, the Demon Sword was once wielded by a knight. *Doves: Pets used by a family friend for protection. *Lightning Hammer: Energized with electricity, the lightning hammer is nearly indestructible. *Muramasa: The Muramasa has almost a life of its own, created by a legendary swordsman and blacksmith. *Platinum Blade: A blade forged of the purest platinum. Its light weight aids its speed. *Sacred Cross: Blessed with divine power, the sacred cross arches forward and returns to Desmond. *Throwing Axe: A Razor-sharp throwing axe capable of cutting through stone. *Vjaya: A Legendary sword created from one of Indra's thunderbolts. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Relics replace sub-weapons in ''Lords of Shadow 2, rendering them a mixture between classic relics from past games, with the maneuverability and fueled-consumption behavior of traditional sub-weapons. Classic sub-weapons Dagger CV4.png|'Dagger' Axe CV4.png|'Axe' Cross CV4.png|'Cross' Holy Water CV4.png|'Holy Water' Stopwatch CV4.png|'Stopwatch' Special additions Maria Renard's sub-weapons Maria Renard's specific sub-weapons set is mainly conformed by the four mythological Chinese symbols: *Suzaku (Cardinal) *Byakko (Cat) *Seiryuu (Dragon) *Genbu (Turtle) *Egg *Songbook *Guardian Knuckle Sonia Belmont's Soul Weapons Sonia Belmont's innate powers are called Soul Weapons, and are used in a similar manner as standard sub-weaponry. Belnades Clan's spells *Holy Flame *Blue Splash *Holy Lightning Lords of Shadow . ]] Castlevania: Lords of Shadow *Silver Dagger *Fairies *Dark Crystal *Holy Water Flasks *Explosive Daggers *Light Fairies *Divine Shield Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate *Throwing Axe *Oil Flask *Boomerang *Electric Bomb *Stopwatch *Bat Projectile Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 *Void Sword *Chaos Claws *Tears of a Saint *Stolas' Clock *Seal of Alastor *Ensnared Demon *Dodo Egg *Talisman of the Dragon Item Data Haunted Castle Castlevania: Rondo of Blood Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Symphony of the Night'' (LCD Handheld) ''Castlevania Legends :''Main articles: Soul Weapon and Collected Item Sonia Belmont uses special powers called Soul Weapons instead of normal sub-weapons in Legends, although the five classic sub-weapons (Axe, Pocket Watch, Dagger, Holy Water and Cross) can also be found; however, these cannot be used offensively in any way and they only determine the game's ending. Soul Weapons Collected Items ''Castlevania'' (N64) ''Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Castlevania: Circle of the Moon Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Castlevania: Harmony of Despair'' See also *Double Shot es:Arma secundaria Category:Sub-Weapons